It is known in the art that a cam system, which may include, for example, a cam shaft and rocker arm, can be used to open and close the valves of an internal combustion (IC) engine. It is also known in the art that the timing of valve closure during an IC engine's induction stroke may be varied to, among other things, optimize engine performance.
During the initial movement of an engine valve, a cam system typically compresses an engine valve spring, and, accordingly, stores energy in the compressed spring that may be utilized during the closing stroke to provide torsional power back to the cam system. As such, the torque fed back to the cam system can reduce power demands on the engine associated with the operation of the cam system.
In some systems, the closing of an engine valve can be delayed for a period of time, by, for example, a hydraulic force actuator that counteracts the closing force of an associated engine valve spring. Systems that exhibit such a delayed closing movement of the engine valve are commonly referred to as “added motion” systems.
During the closing movement of a valve in an added motion system, fluid associated with a hydraulic force actuator may be utilized to close/seat the engine valve and, as such, bypasses the energy stored in the valve spring that would otherwise have been fed back as torsional power to a cam system. Accordingly, the energy stored in the engine valve spring is dissipated into (i.e., “lost”) in the hydraulic fluid system associated with the hydraulic force actuator. More specifically, when the hydraulic force actuator is opened, the energy is dissipated into the hydraulic fluid system by way of the spring force, which causes an increased flow of fluid at a higher velocity toward a reservoir of the hydraulic fluid system. In some circumstances, the energy stored in the engine valve spring is dissipated by heat that is created from friction as the fluid flows, with the increased velocity, through fluid flow orifices of the hydraulic fluid system. Accordingly, a net loss of power resulting from “lost” energy of the valve spring may place higher power demands on the IC engine for operating the cam system.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to prevent a loss of/recover energy from the engine valve spring during a delayed “added motion” closing movement. For example, energy recovered from the valve spring during a closing movement in an added motion system could be returned to the cam operating system and used to reduce power demands placed on the engine for operating the cam system.